Need some advice on removing my 2011 Spark plugs. I know how to remove the coil but WOW those plugs are a long ways down. Is it a special socket? Should I remove them on a cold engine? I put a regular spark plug socket on a warm engine but it was really tight and I got scared that I would break the porcelain. Suggestions please.

 

you will need a deep socket plus an extension. Your regular spark plug socket should work and there's no risk of breaking the porecelain as your socket should slide over and grab the base. I don't bother with a special spark plug socket - I just use a half inch drive with a deep socket and pull the plug out by hand if it does come out in the socket. The challenge is when you install the new plug - you want to make sure you gently hand start/tighten to avoid any chance of cross threading.

 

What we do is use a 5/8 deep socket and a long extension. We stop using the ratchet when the plug becomes loose. We finish the loosening process by hand by spinning the extension.

Use a magnetic pickup to pull out the spark plug.

For installation, we put the end of the spark plug over a piece of vacuum hose and do put some anti-seize on the threads. We use the spark plug on a hose to start the plugs in the threads until they start to tighten the simply pull the hose off the top of the plug, going on to the next, etc.

Finish tightening each with the socket extension and ratchet.

 

never thought of the vacuum hose trick... Nice add!

 

Thanks for the advice.